Heads or Tails
by angels.on.strike
Summary: Lily and James in AU. Long time, no see as the saying goes. What happens when they do meet? Love or hate? Why don't we flip a coin and find out? Heads or Tails...
1. Chapter 1

**Heads or Tails**

"Which dress will you be wearing to the Dinner tonight Ma'am?"

A young girl, in her late teens, walked back into the room from the balcony. Her rosy cheeks matched her fiery red hair, but stood out against her pale skin, whilst her emerald eyes sparkled with life as she crossed the room to the dressing table.

"I'll wear the … black one … the one with spaghetti straps and the rise at the bottom or actually … how about the, um, other black one with the silver bows …." described the girl vaguely as she examined her face in the mirror.

"Mary, what time does the Party start?" asked the girl as the maid rooted around in the wardrobe.

"5 o' clock Ma'am. There's a dance afterwards, and … is this the dress you asked for Ma'am." replied the maid pulling out a dress.

The girl rose from her chair and took the dress from her maid. The dress was a charcoal black satin with spaghetti straps. It had a long fitted skirt with a very full bustled trumpet skirt dotted with silver satin bows in front and back. The girl strode regally to her elaborately framed full length mirror and held the dress against her body. The girl stood there for a few seconds admiring the dress before carelessly tossing the stunning item to her maid.

"Yes, it'll do. Also, get out the silver butterfly necklace, matching earrings and bracelet." she added before returning to her mirror.

"Lilyana!" called a voice distantly.

The girl, Lilyana, jumped to her feet and running out of the door onto the landing.

The rest of the house was as richly furnished as the girl's bedroom. Portraits of ancestors hung from the walls, a thick royal blue carpet adorned the floor and an expensive chandelier dipped majestically from the middle of the hall. Everything about the house shouted class and wealth.

A woman clothed in a simple but costly-looking white silk dress and a wide-brimmed spotless white hat entered the hall from a down-stairs room. A string of pearls decorated her neck and similar pearl earrings dangled from her ears.

"Lilyana, aren't you ready yet dear? Elaine is ready to do your make-up. Remember this is an important Party darling" said the woman haughtily.

"Of course, Mother. I shall put my dress on straight away." answered Lilyana meekly; the superior tone she had used with her maid had vanished. Lilyana ran into her room and hastily began pulling her clothes off.

"Hurry up Mary," she said impatiently as her maid zipped up the gown.

As soon as the maid had finished Lilyana picked up her skirts and ran down the stairs to the room her mother had exited. She took a moment to catch her breath before entering the room composedly and settling on the stool in front of the make-up artist, who began working straight away.

Once the make-up artist had finished, Lilyana ran back up to her room without even glancing at the mirror.

"Oh Ma'am. You do look wonderful." exclaimed the maid as Lilyana skidded into the room.

Truth be said, Lilyana (or Lily, her preference) did look wonderful. She looked natural, fresh and frankly very beautiful.

"Mary, quick put on the earrings." said Lily hurriedly fastening a delicate silver-chained necklace around her neck. A solid silver butterfly, captured in mid flutter, hung from the chain. The maid threaded similar silver butterfly shaped earrings onto her ears. Lily quickly clipped an elegant bracelet with yet another butterfly embossed on it around her wrist as the maid began to rapidly brush Lily's radiant, thick red hair.

"Up or down Ma'am?" asked the maid, rhythmically brushing.

"I think I'll just have it down with some held back." said Lily, trying it out.

Lily reached into a drawer and pulled out a strikingly crafted butterfly hair clasp. She pulled back some hair and clasped it loosely at the nape of her neck. A few short strands escaped from her clasp and prettily framed her face. Lily glimpsed herself in the full length mirror before walking out of her room, looking a changed person. She walked down the stairs elegantly towards her parents and her sister who were waiting further down in the Entrance Hall.

Her mother gave her an appreciative look and her father smiled at her agreeably. Her sister ignored her and turned away.

They waited there anxiously, adjusting items or checking their images in the large mirror propped up against the wall of the Entrance Hall.

"The car's ready, Sir." said the butler's voice, interrupting Lily from her fantasy of Lord Christopher of Wiltshire falling hopelessly in love with her.

"Very well, Earl. We'll expect the car at the Alanson's for midnight." said Lily's father.

The butler led the family to the limousine outside and held the door open. They climbed into the limo and made themselves comfortable as the limo smoothly rolled out of the driveway.

Lily was sandwiched between her mother and her sister. Her sister glared sulkily out the window. Petunia was dressed in a frilly, magenta gown which hung very loosely from her thin, bony frame. Her mousy brown hair limply framed her horsy face.

"Lilyana, I think Lord Christopher is quite taken with you. He is good catch and would make an excellent husband. Handsome, well-off and a charming boy." said her mother to her.

"Ah, the Taylors' son Christopher? Yes, they're a good lot. Their estate down in Wiltshire is definitely impressive." said her father approvingly.

Lily nodded coyly, "Yes Father and Mother."

Her mother smiled at Lily briefly before turning to her other daughter.

"Petunia, don't slouch! Maybe you could work a little bit more upon Lord Alastair, though I think he has taken a fancy to the Ford's daughter. Never mind, the other one … Lord Vernon … shall suffice." said her mother, her voice suddenly cold.

Although her sister remained silent, Lily glimpsed tears shining in her eyes.

The journey continued with the two girls silent and the parents making small talk between each other.

Lily was going over dance steps in her head when suddenly there was a loud crash to her left.

"What was that?" cried Lily's mother.

There was another crash, and the window on the right shattered. Lily's father lent forward and opened the divider to talk to the driver. Rocks began to pelt through the open window.

The two girls and their mother threw themselves onto the floor of the limo to avoid being hit. The window on the left shattered as well. With the divider open, Lily saw a gang of rowdy boys and girls surrounding the car throwing stones and swearing at them, through the windscreen.

Lily was bewildered. Who were they? Why were they doing this? What had her family done to them? Through the clear glass of the windscreen, Lily discerned a boy. He was standing right in front of the car. In his hand was a baseball bat. Lily's eyes locked with his. His burning hazel eyes were full of a terrifying hate and anger. Her jade green eyes were full of fear and confusion. For a second he faltered before raising the baseball bat over his head and bringing it crashing down in one fluid movement onto the windscreen. It shattered.

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Fortunately, the driver had called the police but the group ran off when they heard the tell-tale sirens.

Lily was so shocked; she couldn't speak when her parents fussed over her. Petunia and her father were bleeding; they had been hit by the stones. Lily had luckily escaped any cuts and her mother likewise.

They decided to still go to the Party. Petunia and Lily's father cleaned themselves up, another Limo was called and they made it to the Party just, surprisingly in time.

"Lord Evans, Lady Evans! Come in, come in. Ah! The girls as well … isn't that lovely. Lilyana, you've grown so much dear. Petunia, I adore your hair darling, its ever so fashionable." greeted the portly Lady Alanson.

Lily followed her mother into the room. Before Lily could sit down, she was asked to dance by a young man. Lily accepted and danced with him.

Everything seemed unreal, she was numb all over and though she danced she couldn't feel herself move. When the young man talked to her, she just nodded. She didn't trust herself to be able to speak. Lily felt secluded and remote.

Once the dance was over, Lily sat down. All she could think about was that boy's eyes. Those smouldering hazel eyes were branded in her memory.

Lily tried to take a glass of punch from the servant that offered it to her, only to overturn the whole tray.

"I'm sorry." mumbled Lily languorously, before standing up and wandering to the bathroom.

She gazed at herself in the mirror, seeing his eyes. Lily could see every individual speck of deep forest green in the light brown, every long, lovely eyelash that framed those eyes. She could also see the resentment and hatred that deformed the beauty of them. Lily re-entered the Dining Room distantly and the rest of the evening was all a haze to her. All she knew were his eyes.

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After he'd smashed the windscreen, police sirens began to blare in the distance.

"J, come on man. We gotta get outta here. We'll get the rich bastards some other time." shouted a voice to him. Somebody grabbed his arm and pulled him away. He didn't seem to be able to think properly.

The girl that he'd seen before he broke the glass clouded his mind. As he was tugged through a street-light lit alleyway, her eyes flooded his thoughts. Her never- ending emerald eyes, like gems with inconceivable depth. He dazedly remembered the overwhelming fear in her eyes and that lost, disorientated look that had made him hesitate. James tried to clear his head of her eyes, but everywhere he looked all he saw was those eyes, staring out at him, those stunning eyes subdued by terror and bewilderment.

He was towed along into a small building made from corrugated iron. It was cheaply furnished by second-hand furniture, which was tattered and worn out. James sat down in an ancient, threadbare armchair and tried to clear his mind of her eyes. Conversation raged around him and the most he did was nod vaguely.

"We shouldn't have let 'em go." growled a deep voice.

"Yeah but the cops were comin' Luke." replied another.

"I got the ugly one. Hit her right on the head and made her bleed." boasted a different voice.

"Hah! The rich bitches! All done up in their posh outfits." laughed another cruelly.

Other voices joined in the laughter, talking foully about the attack and boasting about what they'd done.

James finally stood up, immediately bringing the chatter to a stop.

"What's gwanning dawg?" said someone.

"Nothin'. I'm just gonna get some sleep alright. " muttered James before traipsing to a clumsily assembled door, into a room with make-shift beds littered everywhere. He threw himself onto his bed and lay there trying to forget her eyes. Instead he tried to run away from her eyes into his murky, brooding past. But James knew that he could run but he couldn't hide. Her eyes would haunt him forever.

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to people who reviewed! I've decided to continue…lol…**

**Something that might help you understand the title etc.: on English coins we have two sides (like usual) heads and tails. The heads side has the Queen's head on it, and tails has some other thing on it.**

**Fun Fact of the Day: In the course of an average lifetime, while sleeping you might eat around 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders, or more**

**Heads**

She knew those eyes. And the owner. Very well.

"_Hey Lily! Look what I found" shouted a boy, roughly ten years old. He ran towards a girl, who was standing a little further down the beach they were on._

"_What is it James? I think-" started the girl standing up and dusting her hands. However before she could finish, the boy pushed her into the water. His hazel eyes sparkled mischievously as Lily spluttered in the water._

"_JAMES!" she yelled furiously, rugby-tackling him to the ground and dragging him into the sea. Her wet red hair flew as she spun around and began to run away, laughing uncontrollably._

_James hauled himself out of the water, dripping wet from the thorough dunking she'd given him. He growled unhappily, wringing his t-shirt, before following Lily towards the house._

_Lily hid behind a bush and watched James approaching her hiding place, unaware of her presence. She timed her trick carefully. He was a footstep away from passing the bush, when she leapt out._

"_Boo!" she shrieked, scaring the daylights out of him._

_James screamed girlishly before threatening to murder Lily._

_The two children chased each other up to the house nearby, squealing with laughter and anger. _

_The house, more of a mansion, was impressively located in a deep valley. Green, rolling hills and vast meadows bordered the house. A clean, white sanded private beach was close by. _

_The mansion itself was an Edwardian treasure. Two colossal towers rise above the otherwise flat roof, many arched windows glitter brightly and massive oak doors open in to the building. In front of the house was a strikingly fountain of a man and woman. Intertwining and finally merging into one at the hands. Water spouted from their fused fingertips._

_The two kids flopped onto the grass beside the fountain, panting slightly from their run. _

"_You scream like such a girl" teased Lily, her green eyes mocking him gently._

"_Shut up!" scowled James sulkily._

"_Ok, I'm sorry" said Lily meekly._

"_Its ok. We're best friends remember? Best friends don't care about there kind of things." said James confidently, pulling out blades out grass._

"_Ok." replied Lily._

_They sat there for a while, in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company and the view around them._

"_The fountain's so beautiful," whispered Lily softly, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere._

"_Yeah," said James, glancing up at it. "It is."_

"_Wouldn't it be great to have something like what they have?" said Lily, staring intently at the expression on the man and woman's face. "But no one ever has that." declared Lily finally, tearing her eyes away._

"_Why not? You could have that if you wanted." replied James also tearing his eyes away from the fountain and looking into hers._

"_But there's no one I know who I could ever have that with. No one I know as well as myself. Nobody who knows _me_ better then I do. There's no one who is just like my other half." mumbled Lily gazing into the light cerulean sky. _

"_You know me as well as I do. I know you better than you do. I'm like your other half aren't I?" said James suddenly expectant as he glared at her._

"_Yes James you are but-"_

"_Good, so we'll get married right now, then we can have what they have when we're older," he said decisively, sitting up and pulling out his wand._

"_Get married? I don't know James; we're a bit youn-"_

"_Do you Lily Evans, take me to be your husband" he said, ignoring her, formally._

_She looked at him hopelessly before nodding weakly and saying, "Yes, I do."_

_He smiled triumphantly before gesturing for her to ask him the question._

_She grinned slightly before asking, "Do you James Potter, take me to be your wife?"_

"_Yes I do" he said trying to sound grave and solemn. He levitated a pair of rings he'd created with his wand. James had made two glistening rings of ice, with a frozen drop at the front. He had placed a charm on the rings so they would never melt and never break._

_He carefully slipped a ring onto Lily's finger and Lily did the same to him._

"_Now you may kiss the bride!" he proclaimed cheerily. He grabbed Lily and swiftly pecked her on the cheek. Lily had screamed when he grabbed her, thinking he would kiss her on the lips._

"_I wasn't going to _actually_ kiss you lips, moron!" mocked James letting go of her._

_Lily leaned against the fountain feeling giddy. Although Lily would never admit it, her stomach had done a billion back-flips during the few seconds in which James had grabbed her around the waist and kissed her. _

_Unexpectedly, one oak front door swung open and James's mum stormed out not looking very happy._

"_James! Come on, we're going. Say good bye to your friend." commanded his mother, trying stop her voice trembling with irrepressible anger. She shot Lily a dark look, which surprised Lily endlessly, because Lily and Aunt Jassie had always got along well._

"_But Mum, I thought you finished at-" started James, confusion etched on his face._

"_I'll tell you when we get home." she yelled, her voice shaking with fury. "Just come!" _

_James glanced uneasily at Lily and mumbled 'Good-Bye'. _

_Lily stifled tears which threatened to fall at Aunt Jassie's cold attitude to her. She nodded wordlessly at James and mouthed 'Bye'._

_James quickly caught up with his mum, who was half-way to the Entrance Gates. The gates were opened by security guards and before James left, he turned and gave her one last look before stepping out of the gates._

_Lily sat there alone for a minute wondering why Aunt Jassie had been giving her the cold shoulder and why she was so angry. She slowly walked into the house. _

"_Mum! Where are you?" she called, walking into the kitchen to get a drink._

"_I'm in the Drawing Room, dear," replied her mother._

_Lily finished off her orange juice before entering the Drawing Room. It was a richly decorated room, with spotless white leather sofas, wonderfully crafted glass tables and cabinets, deep velvet curtains, and an stylish chandelier. _

_Lily's mum was sitting on the end of the sofa, sipping something, which looked like brandy. She looked up as Lily walked in. _

_Noticing the tears in her eyes, she asked, "What's wrong honey?"_

"_Well…it's just that Aunt Jassie-" began Lily, sitting down opposite her mum._

"_Jasmine, isn't your aunt, she's the housekeeper. Call her Jasmine." said her mother, suddenly stiff. _

"_But I've always called her Aunt Jassie, she's practically my aunt." replied Lily, baffled by what her mum had said. _

"_Well, she's Jasmine to you. And she won't be working here anymore." said her mother curtly, picking up the brandy she'd put on the table. _

"_What! Why? Mum, Aunt Jassie can't stop working here. How about James?" yelped Lily, leaping to her feet._

"_Jasmine _will_ stop working here and you wouldn't understand why anyway. There's nothing we can do about James, but its all for the best anyway. You and that boy have become a bit too close for my liking; after all he's the housekeeper's son." said her mother in a toneless voice, gazing out the window._

_Tears of outrage formed in Lily's eyes. "That's unfair! I want to see James! I don't care if I don't understand! I'm still going to see James, even if he's the housekeeper's son!" shouted Lily, angrily as tears fell from her eyes._

"_How dare you shout at me Lilyana Francesca Evans! Do not talk to me like that ever again! You will not be seeing James, you'll be grounded until the end of the summer holidays! Go to your room straight away!" said her mother in a dangerously soft voice. _

_Lily glared at her mother, but realised that she'd gone too far this time. Lily silently turned on her heel and marched out the room, deciding that she'd run away tonight to James's house._

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_That night Lily gathered all her important belongings and tied them up in a large handkerchief. She attached her bundle to the end of a pole she'd retrieved earlier, like Dick Whittington. _

_She pulled on a comfy sweater and her favourite denim dungarees with Winnie the Pooh on them. She tucked her wand into her pocket and opened her window. _

_Suddenly she heard foot steps on the landing. Lily dived into her bed leaving the bundle on the pole leant against the window. The footsteps continued past her bedroom. Lily let out her breath not realising she had been holding it in the first place._

_She turned towards the open window. Her light pink, silk curtains billowed in the light wind out side. It eerily glowed pink, filtering the moonlight. _

_Lily got out of her bed and was making her way to the window when she froze._

_She saw a dark shape moving behind the thin curtain. She stepped forwards tentatively and pulled aside the curtain._

_There was nothing there. She dropped the curtain back in place._

_She sighed again and scolded herself for being such a baby. Lily breathed deeply and picked up the bundle. _

_She saw something out of the corner of her eye but ignored it thinking it was just her mind playing games on her. _

_She heard a loud thump. Like something falling. She pulled the curtain back and looked out the window._

_There was a body. Hanging in mid-air. Suspended by a rope. Outside her window._

_She screamed._

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Truckloads of hugs and kisses to ALL reviewers, for being my never-ending stream of support and happiness. ;D.., heh!**

**Sorry, sorry, sorry for it not being longer and the late update … schoolwork and other complications :( … I'll do my best to update soon … keep reading … where else do you find out cool stuff bout the Wizard of Oz? Lol. I'd be interested to hear your ideas. Anyway, drop a review, I'll get back. **

**Fun Fact of the Day: **The name for Oz in "The Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."

**Tails**

_Lily screamed. Or she tried to scream but James covered her mouth with his hand. He swung into her bedroom and untied the rope around his waist._

"_James Potter, what are you doing at this time, hanging outside my window?" she gasped, collapsing onto the floor._

_James threw her an undecipherable look and crossed the room to check that the door was locked. He walked back to her slowly and sat down on the ground beside her._

"_Sorry if I scared you, Lily. I just came to see how you were … and …" trailed off James, looking quite uncertain._

_How could he explain to her what had happened? Would she even understand anyway? How would she know how useless he'd felt to see his mother fall into pieces? How would she understand that he might never be able to see her again? How could he ever tell her that it was all because of **her** mother?_

"_You should be sorry … you freaked the living daylights outta me!" growled Lily grudgingly. "And anyway, I was going to run away to your house..." said Lily casually._

"_What?" he asked sharply, looking up at her._

_Lily related everything that had happened to him, leaving him with his mouth gaping wide open. _

"_I couldn't believe Mum was like that-" started Lily, glancing up at James who seemed deep in thought._

"_Lily. I need to tell you something." interrupted James seriously. He knew he had to tell her. "My mum lost her job because-"_

_They both heard a key turning in Lily's bedroom lock. _

_Lily forced James under her bed, swiftly and ran over to the window and closed it.. _

_The door finally flew open._

_Lily's mum stormed in, looking dangerously livid. _

"_Lilyana, where is the boy?" she said coldly._

"_What boy mum? I was just-" lied Lily desperately, failing hopelessly because her lip began wobbling as it always did when she lied._

"_The Potter boy. Do not lie." snarled her mum unkindly._

_James watched the scene, knowing that any second she would look under the bed and find him. _

_Almost as if Lily's mum had read his mind, she kneeled down beside the bed and glared at him. _

"_Get out." she ordered, her voice trembling with rage as she spoke._

_James crawled out from under the bed. All the colour had drained from Lily's mum's face. _

"_Mum-" started Lily hopelessly._

"_Be. Quiet." growled her mum, grabbing James by his shirt. James stared back at Lily's mum emotionlessly, feeling the atmosphere between the two of them, drop as low as it possibly could. "Don't you ever. Ever. Come here again. Go." She threw him, practically across the room. _

_James felt as if he would explode with rage, he got up onto his feet and dusted his clothes. "You foul, dirty old bitch … you've got this twisted sick idea that you're better than everyone … one day, someone's going to show you exactly what you are … and , oh boy, you better pray it ain't me …" whispered James scarily._

"_James" gasped an astounded voice. It was Lily. "How could you ever say something like that?" Lily stared at James unbelievingly._

_James looked back at her. She wouldn't understand. It wasn't her fault._

"_Lily…"_

"_Maybe mum was right about you…"said Lily coldly turning her back on him._

"_Get out. NOW," shrieked Lily's mum, her cold mask cracking._

_James sent Lily's back a pleading look before walking calmly out of the room. _

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_When James got home, his mum hadn't even noticed he'd left._

_He made her a cup of coffee and took it up to her room in the morning._

"_Mum," he said softly, knocking on her door._

"_Come in, darling," she replied tiredly._

"_Did you get any sleep last night?" he asked concernedly, handing the coffee to her._

"_Not really, but I'll be fine." replied his mother imperturbably, sipping the coffee. _

_She indicated for him to sit next to her. _

"_Im sorry, James." she whispered sadly. "I don't think you'll be able to go to that posh school you wanted to go to." Tears formed in her eyes._

"_Don't worry Mum, it doesn't matter. I'm not bothered." answered James, masking his disappointment._

_She gave him a watery smile. "My darling little boy, I love you so much." she kissed him on the cheek._

_James wriggled away, laughing, "Mum, stop being so mushy." But then added solemnly, "I love you too Mum."_

_He got up. "I'm going to get myself a paper round or something, we'll be fine Mum. You'll get a job and it'll all be like before." said James comfortingly._

_He walked to the door and smiled at her before leaving._

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_James lived with his mum in their small two bedroom apartment. Before his dad had died, they lived in a wonderful three bedroom house._

_But after his dad's death, James and his Mum had to sell the house because they couldn't afford it. His Mum luckily got a job at the Evan's household as a housekeeper. James's Mum and Lily's Mum were like best pals, and James and Lily grew up together. _

_Being fired wasn't as much of a shock as being fired by someone you though was you're best friend and for an absolutely ridiculous reason. Just thinking about it made him boil with rage._

_He arrived outside the newsagent and went in._

_They didn't need anyone else. James and his mum would get through this together. Lily or no Lily. _

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James woke up. He tried to clear his head of all the thought running through it.

Lily. Evans.

He had learnt to control himself, to not reveal his feelings, to be cold. Over the years, he had slowly retreated into himself, leaving only a shell of what he once was. He'd be damned if he let her get in his way again.

"Yo dawg? You up," called out a black curly haired boy.

"Yeah man, was gwanning?" answered James, getting out of his bed.

He looked around everyone in the room. They were his people, the ones who'd actually stuck around when times were hard. They were the ones that cared. They were the ones that mattered. They were his crew.

"Nothin' much. Troy, wanted to go after those bastards from yesterday again." replied the curly haired boy gesturing to another brown-haired boy with a thick beard.

"We'll chat 'bout it later," sighed James, padding over to their kitchen bare-chested, and pouring himself some cereal.

Mike (the black curly haired boy), Troy (the brown haired boy), Kyle (**A/N: Kyle is a substitute for Sirius**), Nick, Katrina (Trina), Jake (**A/N: Jake is the substitute for Remus**), Lou (Lou Anna) and Star were the only people left in the whole world that he cared about now. (**A/N: I'm not going to have Peter in this fanfiction.**)

"James, put a shirt on before I ravage you," joked Trina, a blonde haired tousled beauty, walking into the kitchen with freshly showered wet hair.

James pecked her on the cheek, with a mischievous grin, "More than willing baby."

She laughed and poured herself some milk. "So, what're we gonna do 'bout yesterday?" she asked seriously, sipping the milk. "Everyone was gettin' worked up 'bout it last night,"

James nodded slowly, "I dunno, but we'll have to go after them again." He washed the cereal bowl. "Cos we need the cash."

"Prongs!" called Kyle, running into the kitchen. "Didn't disturb anything did I?" he teased, elbowing James in the stomach.

"Ow! Padfoot, get the hell off of me alright," demanded James embarrassedly.

"You pussy boy … anyway … Jake just came up with a proper good idea," declared Kyle, sitting on the counter.

"Why do you call each other Prongs and Padfoot, by the way boys?" asked Trina, now munching into a cereal bar.

The two boys looked at each other and grinned.

"Long story," they replied at the same time.

As if on cue, Jake walked into the kitchen.

"I'm going to go mad," smiled Trina. "Three incredibly hot guys around me. Wow!"

Jake smiled at her easily. "How ya doin' babes? Sup dudes?" he said casually. "Kyle told ya my idea yet?"

"Nah. He didn't really get round to it. Was the idea then Moony?" asked James, sitting on the counter aside Kyle.

"Well, we need the money right? Why don't we kidnap one of those girls and ask for a ransom?" said Jake, getting himself a glass of orange juice. "The pretty girl. We'll take her. The lads get a bit bored sometimes," he winked meaningfully, with a laugh. "I'm just pissin' about" he added seriously, "But they'd miss the pretty one more."

James grimaced. He didn't care about Lily, no more. Maybe they should kidnap her. They needed the money.

He looked up at the expectant faces. Lou, Mike, Nick, Star and Troy had come into the kitchen as well.

"We'll kidnap her. Tomorrow night." he said in a steely voice. His eyes suddenly seeming cold and emotionless.

Life's unfair. Fact.

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"So me and Nick, wait 'round the back as back-up," said Jake.

"Yeah, then…"

"Me, Trina and Lou set off one of those things you gave us as a distraction," said Star.

"Dr. Filbuster's realistic-but-not-real fires," added Kyle knowingly.

"Ok, then …"

"I creep into the girl's room and kidnap her," said Kyle. "Oh yeah, with Prongs."

"Next …" supplied James.

"Us two wait in the woods for everyone with the pick up truck to make a fast getaway," chorused Troy, with Mike nodding along beside him.

"Ok, that's great guys. Now your all gonna go get some sleep as we probably won't have time tonight," said James checking his watch. "Its three right now, I'll wake you lot up at five for a practise." The rest of the crew nodded. "If we get caught …" trailed off James. He didn't need to tell them. They all knew what would happen if they got caught. The police were microscopic bacteria compared to private security. Private security would beat the hell outta them.

James put his hand out into the middle of their circle, out-stretched. One by one the rest of the crew piled their hands on top. James closed finally put his other hand on top.

He smiled at them all briskly. "Go and sleep guys,"

James was back. Lethal and unforgiving.

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry people for the small chapter and the late update! Well, enjoy, I'll try and update as soon as can and don't worry the story shall pick up some pace. Meanwhile, can't remember if I've already said this but take a look at my other fanfiction 'To The Gates of Hell' – LJ of course it's a school story!! Anyway … moving on … **

**Heads**

Lily picked up her classy silver-backed brushed and began to brush her auburn hair. Her boarding school wouldn't start until January, so she had the rest of the last few days of October, followed another two months to get through. Lily set the brush back down on her polished mahogany dressing table and walked out onto her balcony. She leaned on the railing and looked out over the beautiful landscape, brooding over James.

His beautiful naturally tousled raven black hair, his deep, captivating hazel eyes, the way he talked, the way he walked … everything about him entranced her.

The sun was slowly setting, casting an inky glow over the sky; a soft lilac slowly blending into light, airy pink that gradually gave way to a spectacular pale yellow. She was filled with an immense, overwhelming feeling of happiness, which spread to the tips of her toes. All of a sudden she yelled, "Lily loves you, world!" laughing madly afterwards. She walked back into her room, and was sorting out all the stuff on her dressing table when she heard sounds on her balcony.

"Oof!"

"You just kicked my arse!"

"Alright mate, sorry. Just keep your trap shut! You're louder than a mad elephant. "

Lily tiptoed to the balcony, picking up her tennis racquet on the way.

"A mad elephant eh?! I'm gonna pound you until you resemble a pile of worm shit!"

"Worms' shit?"

"I couldn't care less whether they shit or don't, but you're gonna look so bad after I'm through with you, you'll look better than you do now…"

"Shutup you plonker! You're gonna mess everything up!"

"Hmph!"

Lily sprung into the doorway of the balcony, intending to catch the intruders off guard. But before she had even moved, a shadow fell over her and a cloaked, hooded figure kicked her racquet out of her hands faster than you could say 'Hah!' , another figure entered and quickly bound her up.

Lily struggled pointlessly and at one point even choked, but the one of the strangers whacked her on the back, so she couldn't even die quickly. The man who was now looking around the room looked back at her apprehensively. The other one shrugged and continued leafing through her magazines. They would probably rape her, or hang her up naked and play darts. Lily shivered. Why was her imagination so wild, she though to herself. Damn thing.

The man finished leafing through her magazine with a look of disgust on his face. "Man, you read a pile of crap!" He took off his hood and shook out his thick dark hair.

Lily noticed that he was extremely good-looking. He had olive skin and fine, chiselled features; big, heavy-lidded dark eyes, high clearly defined cheekbones, a firm jaw and a nicely shaped nose. His hair fell eloquently onto his forehead. Simply poetry in motion. Wow, I must really be loosing it to think things like that, Lily thought to herself.

The other man said, "We haven't got long. Let's go." He looked at her for a moment; although she couldn't see his face properly she could make out two dark pupils glaring at her. He turned away quickly.

The hooded man grabbed her and forced her down a rope. They then trekked through the estate woods until they came to a van, parked in a clearing. They quickly climbed into pulling her with them.

Everyone was waiting in the van.

"You guys are back! Thank God, I was so scared!" said Trina, relieved she kissed James gently on the cheek and hugged Sirius.

"Neat trick you two," said Troy, nodding towards the Realistic-but-not-real fires raging away.

Mike revved up and they roared away through the woods onto a road, putting as much distance as they could between them and the estate.

"Pretty girl ain't she?" said Nick, watching her closely. He leaned forward to touch her hair. Lily kicked out at him and caught him on the shin. "Little bitch," he spat. His hand flung out to slap her across the face. Lily clenched her jaw in anticipation for the blow … but it never came. She tentatively opened her eyes to find a chest shielding her. Despite the situation she couldn't help notice how it was very comfortable.

"Don't!" said a male voice threateningly.

"What?! I was-" started Nick.

"I don't care, but no hitting her alright?" commanded the man.

"Yeah," mumbled Nick.

The man stepped away from her and sat opposite her. The second she looked at him, her heart stopped beating. She knew that ruffled black hair. She knew those piercing hazel eyes. She knew him. He was James.

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Lily desperately tried to catch James's eye but he deliberately avoided her. She noticed that he'd grown his hair out. It was now longer than it had been when they were younger, his fringe brushed his eyebrows. He was very tall now, definitely over 6 ft. One thing hadn't changed about him were his eyes. His alluring hazel eyes.

Despite his bad boy image, in his eyes you could still see the real him.

The him she'd thought she'd lost.

But no. She hadn't.

Her James was still there.

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The van finally came to a stop and everyone got out. Lily was helped out by the very fit boy from before; his name was Kyle. Lily'd learnt all their names by now. The boy that had nearly hit her was Nick. The two boys at the front were Mike and Troy. There was another quieter boy who smiled at her and seemed nice called Jake. There were then there girls, Star, Lou and Trina. Trina seemed to get along very well with James noted Lily.

Lily was lead into a small building made from corrugated iron. It was hidden in the depths of some random alleyway and Lily would never have found the place on her own.

She was taken to a small sparse room with only a bed and a light in it.

"Dinner's in an hour … you'll eat with us," said Star before locking her in.

There was obviously no way out and it was quite clear by now that they weren't going to rape her or perform any odd sexual acts on her. Lily sat down on the lumpy, old, creaky bed and dug up a Minstrels packet form her pocket. She slowly ate one and put the packet back to conserve them.

Lily spent the next hour just aimlessly daydreaming and dozing.

"Dinner's ready," said a deep voice, startling her.

Lily looked up and saw James standing at the doorway. He gave her a piercing stare.

"James …" started Lily, jumping to her feet.

James turned away and left before she could say anything more. Lily kicked the bed in anger. Why wouldn't he talk to her? What the hell was going on? Lily marched out the room and joined everyone at a long crudely-mad table. As soon as she sat down, a deathly silence spread across the room that had just been full of laughter and chatter.

Lily forced down the food and left as quickly as she could.

However long she was gonna be here was gonna be a helluva long time.

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"Can I come in?" said a soft voice gently.

"Sure," replied Lily without looking up.

Jake walked in and sat down on the edge of her bed. "I'm sorry," he said after a while.

"It's not your fault is it now," laughed Lily dryly.

"I meant about James," said Jake without missing a beat.

Lily turned her head so fast she nearly fell off the bed.

"James told us a long time ago about everything … when I saw you I knew you were The Lily," continued Jake. He paused before saying, "Lily, you can't blame him for the way he feels now. He's been through _so_ much."

Lily nodded sadly and said, "I just want to tell him I'm sorry … I really didn't know …" but before she could finish there was a distinct cough.

"Jake? What are you doing?" said James sharply.

"Just talking-"

"Well that's enough. I'll do that myself," cut in James stiffly.

Jake gave Lily a reassuring smile and said 'Goodnight' before leaving.

James shut the door after Jake and leaned against the wall, facing Lily.

They stayed like that in an awkward silence until Lily stood up and said, "So … what?"

James was caught off-guard by Lily's question and just blinked blankly.

"What did you want?" repeated Lily, her voice more bitter now.

James remained quiet.

Lily sighed, annoyed. "Well, if that's all you wanted to say Mr. Martin Luther-King, I want to sleep!"

James looked at her properly, for the first time since they'd kidnapped her. He suddenly took a few steps towards her. James froze in mid-stride and came to a stop. He gave her an odd look and walked back to the door. He opened it but stood in the doorway for a while.

"Goodnight Schm-," he started.

James had just been about to use her childhood nickname. He used to call her Schmoo and she used to call him Schmee.

"Goodnight," he repeated firmly. He left and locked the door.

Lily mused over what had just happened. She turned off the light and said, "'Night Schmee," before getting into bed.

James stood outside her room listening to her get into bed and heard her say 'Night Schmee.' He smiled and silently walked to the bedroom.

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi all! Enjoy this chapter, sorry for it being quite short. Check out my other two fan fictions; to the Gates of Hell and The Book of Dead (:D ever the positive eh?). Anyway yeah what else is there to say … r&r!!**

**ME**

Tails

"Wakey wakey!" said a deep voice before dumping icy water onto his head.

A worryingly girlish scream later, James crawled out of his bed, soaking wet. "I'm gonna kill you Padfoot!" he growled, slouching off to the bathroom.

When he came back he was greeted by solemn faces. "What's up guys?" he asked, grabbing some toast.

"Well…" trailed off Troy uncertainly.

"What? Come on … tell me!" demanded James.

"It's the police, they suspect us .. they were in this morning," mumbled Jake quickly.

"WHAT! How did they find us!" shouted James.

"I'm not sure but I think they're going to be back …" muttered Mike uncomfortably.

"Ok we're leaving. Tonight." said James brushing crumbs nonchalantly off his hands.

"James .. we can't leave tonight! Where are we going to go! What about the girl?" said Star.

"So have you got a better plan? We have to go and were going to have to take the girl with us," said James finally. "Pack your stuff people, we'll leave at midday actually, they'll expect us to leave in the night …" with that he turned and left the kitchen.

James walked to Lily's room. He knocked on the door cautiously.

"Come in," called out her rich voice.

He tried the door and found it was locked.

"Oops! Sorry, I locked it!" she said.

The door opened, and he went it. The door closed behind him and he heard it click shut.

"Morning James. I just keep the door locked … you know, in case anything happens," she said as he gave her a quizzical look.

Lily was wearing one of Trina's old slips. It was a showy black lace one that was very short and partially see-through. Damn, he thought, she looks good.

"Yeah," he said thickly.

"Sit down," she said, practically pushing him onto the bed. She sat down next to him, too close for James's liking. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was a bit worked up and I think I was a bit rude."

"Its fine-" started James getting up and accidentally knocking a glass that was on a small bedside table onto the floor. "Sorry," he said kneeling down.

"I'll get it," intervened Lily, bending down, giving him a clear view of her cleavage.

James stared at her, unable to take his eyes off. Whoa! He thought to himself, mmm … nice! _James, you're not allowed to think that! You've just bloody kidnapped her you moron! _Shut up you stupid arse … I want her … bad …

"James?" said Lily, breaking him out of his trance.

He gulped and looked up to her face, blushing crazily. "Erm yeah … well ok" he said stupidly.

They both stood up. "I just came to tell you that we're leaving at 12 so yeah …" finished James lamely.

"Oh … ok," said Lily quietly.

James jumped to his feet and began to move towards the door.

"Don't go…" mumbled Lily sadly.

James turned to face her.

"Stay. Stay and talk to me," said Lily softly, looking up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "What did I do? Tell me. What did I do James?"

James stood their awkwardly unsure of what to do. Tears began to slowly slide down her attractive face. "Don't cry … I'll stay … just don't cry," said James hurriedly.

Lily stood up and wiped her tears. "I'm sorry. I'm just being stupid. No, go, you've got stuff to do. I'll be fine," said Lily with a watery smile not meeting James's eyes.

James put a finger under her chin and lifted it up to face her. "Really?" he asked gently. He looked into her eyes, loosing himself in her mesmerizing jade pools. Before he knew it his arms were around her and he was leaning down towards her lips. In that moment, it was only him and her. Only him and her.

"James?!" came a startled voice.

He left go of her and sprung away guiltily. Trina stood in the doorway with an old suitcase, staring at the two confusedly. Lily stepped back and sat on the bed, hiding her face from Trina. James cleared his throat conspicuously. Lily was blushing slightly with a little smile playing on her lips. James allowed his mouth to curve into a smile as he said, "Be ready by 12." He then left the room without even looking at Trina, who was still standing their, her mouth open in surprise.

"What …" started Trina to James's retreating figure. She dropped the small, battered suitcase and followed James.

James walked into his bedroom and began to stuff his belongings into a small bag. He didn't have much. It was already 10 and there was still all the utensils etc. to pack and then transport and then where they were going to go. Right now, the last thing he wanted was Trina getting all paranoid over him. They weren't even an item; he just slept with her from time to time.

"James! What was going on in there?!" said Trina pursuing him to the bathroom as he picked up his toiletries then to the kitchen where he grabbed his utensils. "James!" she whined.

James threw everything into the bag which he then zipped up and carried to their van. He put it in the back and then turned around to face her. "Why does it concern you?" he said not unkindly.

"What do you mean why does it concern me? You know why! If we're in a relationship-" ranted Trina, high-pitched.

"Well then, there we go, you're problems solved. We're not in a relationship," interrupted James calmly, leaning against the van with his arms folded over his muscular chest.

Trina gazed back at him, looking lost. "B-but I thought-" she began, her eyes watering slightly.

"Well, you obviously thought wrong," finished James sharply. "Your mis-conceptions are not my fault, and now if you excuse me, I've got things to do."

"NO! You just fucking used me!" she screeched.

James raised an eyebrow and tried to get past her.

"NO! What's wrong with me! You said I was your sexy Russian Princess! I'm still the same! I'm your Russian Princess! James! Why?! I love you! I know this might be hard for you but I just need you to tell me that you love me! Please? Am I not attractive to you anymore?" she shrieked, tears falling freely down her face. She wiped her eyes smudging her heavy applications of mascara and eyeliner, forming black circles around her big blue eyes.

James leaned close to her. "There is nothing less attractive than a needy, clingy woman," he said in disgusted tone. With that, he pushed past her and went back into their make-shift home.

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"Everyone strapped in?" called James from the front.

"Yes," chorused the group.

"Let's hit the road!" yelled James, roaring on to the road.

The van quickly sped onto the main road. They were at a traffic light when James noticed a police car next to them.

"Ah shit!" mumbled James, willing the light to change. The police officer looked over into the van. James nodded at him amiably. The light changed. The van shot off into the empty road ahead. They heard police sirens start up behind them. "Uh oh!" said James, looking at his rear mirror and pressed his foot down on the accelerator. "They're after us!"

The van weaved through all the cars on the road. A traffic light was coming up and it looked like it would be changing to green any time soon. "Hold on guys!" He did a swift U-turn and sped in the opposite direction, just making it a second before the traffic light turned green and vehicles began to flood down the road. The police car hadn't been quick enough and was desperately trying to do a U-turn. James turned the van into a small lane and took many confusing turns until they had completely lost the police car and were totally lost themselves.

"Well, look on the bright side, we lost the police," offered Kyle lamely. "We can always get another van," he said slyly scanning their surroundings, "and that one looks just about the right size."

Jake grinned at him and they ran over to the van. Two seconds later they drove it over to the rest of the gang who piled in with their belongings.

"Chill out James, I'll take the wheel," said Jake, climbing into the driver's seat. They set off without attracting any attention to themselves.

James was sitting next to Lily, right at the back. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. Suddenly James felt something on his thigh. He looked down to find a long-fingered pale hand stroking his thigh softly. James stared at the hand in amazement before following it up to its red-haired owner, who smiled at him mischievously. James sighed, unsure whether he could take any more shock today.

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	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: People … I AM SOO SORRY!!!!!!! (for the very late update) So just for that this chapter should be amazing and I shall do my best to make it amazing though I'm not too sure whether it will be amazing but you guys n dolls can tell me about how amazing or un-amazing it was … right?! K ignore me …. down to business … :D This chapter gets the story moving btw and I hop eto have the story over in 10 chapters but I might write a sequel … :S**

**Oh and one thing so warning, there is swearing and sexual content (I am a virgin with no experience whatsoever so I'm sorry if it's terrible but it's just important to the plot :S)**

**P.S. I'm sorry, I know this is a Heads chapter but I've gone and written it in James' POV accidentally so sorryyy**

**Heads**

"Ooooh!!! Frig it!" murmured Jake as the van died out at the start of the Heresham Forest.

"Wassup Jake?" called out James from the back.

"Were outta petrol?!" said Jake with a grimace.

James swore before ordering everyone to get out of the van. "We're just gonna have to leg it … " he said finally. "Ok … split up everyone, but try not to get lost …" he said quickly sirens started up not too far away.

The group began to disappear into the forest and only James was left there with Lily. He cleared his throat self-consciously and said, "Well, come on then".

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They were pretty deep into the forest now but the police were still on their trail. James had heard a couple of gunshots and hoped nothing serious had happened. Lily seemed to be coping pretty well but James was now regretting the whole kidnapping thing. It had gotten completely out of hand. He sighed and looked over to Lily. They hadn't really said anything but you could nearly see the tension in the air. Maybe they should take a break, Lily did look quite tired. "Lets take -" but before he could finish off he had been knocked down into shrubbery by Lily.

She signalled at him to be quiet.

"Why is Officer Snape so bothered about this stupid gang anyway?" said a male voice from where they had previously stood.

"God knows … but who cares … we just do what were told eh?" replied another voice dryly.

"Well we've got all of them apart form the main guy and some girl they've kidnapped so Officer Snape better be happy," said the first voice before they walked off.

James let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He turned to Lily who was lying beside him and mouthed thanks. Lily nodded curtly before peering out to make sure the coast was clear.

They both scrambled out and moved on without a word.

After hours of silent walking, Lily suggested they take a rest.

James sat down against a tree trunk in deep contemplation. What were they going to do now? They had to get out of the place and then what was he going to do with Lily. The crew had been caught but they would get away because there weren't any crimes against them.

James looked up at Lily who was standing with her back towards him. A sudden warmth flooded him as he watched her. There was still that bond between them and it was up to him to get over the past despite how it ruled his life.

It was getting dark and they would soon have to find somewhere to rest for the night.

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"Why do you hate me so much?" Lily's voice suddenly cut through the darkness.

They had finally settled down in a little clearing they had found, it was hidden away very well and cosy.

"What?" mumbled James in shock.

"I can see it in your eyes James. I can see the burning hate every time you look at me. What did I do wrong?"

"Lily, this isn't the moment to talk about it okay?"

"No. I've got to get to the bottom of this I-"

"FINE! YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY I HATE YOU? I'LL TELL YOU! YOU RUINED MY LIFE, YOU FUCKING RIPPED IT INTO PIECES!!" shouted James uncontrollably.

"I DID NOTHING TO YOU JAMES!" shouted back Lily in furious denial.

"What do you know? After your mum fired mine … do you have a clue what happened to us? No. You don't. So you have absolutely no right to deny what happened!"

"Okay … well what happened?"

"I got to stay on at my private school because of my 100 scholarship but mum didn't have any jobs so we barely ate anything for weeks. Finally she got a job at an office as a secretary and it was like everything would be fine again." Tears were rolling down James's face openly as memories flooded back to him. "It wasn't easy … no … not at all … I got bullied at school and everyone hated us but I never understood why. Anyway, we got through it together and after mum got a job everything was much better. Until that day…"

_It was the last day of the summer term. Holidays were on now; it was sunny, hot and finally a whole year since mum had been fired was over. I caught the bus form school straight down to mum's office._

_I got there later than I'd wanted to so I ran into the office. It was unusually empty but I waited at the reception and adjusted the huge bouquet of lilies I'd bought for her. I'd been waiting for nearly half an hour now and mum still hadn't come out. Maybe she was doing overtime or something so I went into the interior of the office just to see if she was there._

_I couldn't see mum anywhere but there were voices coming from a room at the end of a corridor and I wondered whether mum was in there so I went up to the room. Some heated discussion was going on inside and I wasn't too keen on going in because it was the boss's office. He was a really nice guy and he'd helped us out so much but there was just something weird about him … and I just couldn't put my finger on it._

_Suddenly the door flew open. _

_I ducked behind it instinctively not wanting to be caught snooping around the place. A woman stormed through the door crying with a man behind her. I immediately recognised her, it was mum and the man behind her was her boss. I didn't know why mum was crying but I wasn't too sure whether jumping out from behind the door would be a good idea. _

_Mum had been pushed up against the wall by her boss who was murmuring something into her ear. Mum looked a bit uncomfortable and I didn't like the look of how close he was to her. _

_Before I knew it he was tearing of mum's clothes and pinning her to the ground. I wanted to shout at him to leave her alone but I couldn't. I just watched as she whimpered pathetically unable to fight him off. I silently crept out from behind the door and slipped into the office to find something with which I could attack him. I grabbed a huge wooden chair and dragged it outside. _

_They still hadn't noticed me. _

_With an angry cry I heaved the chair of the ground and brought it crashing down on to the man's head. _

_He gave a grunt and clutched his head._

_I backed away, unsure of what to do next. _

_He got up and lurched towards me drunkenly. I grabbed the chair again and raised it defensively. He swore at me and turned back to grab my mum. _

_That was it._

_I whacked the chair onto his back as hard as I could._

_It snapped._

_He let out an enraged cry but continued to reach for my mum who had crawled away from him._

_I brought the splintered chair onto his back again._

_There was a dull thud as the broken leg of the chair pierced his body._

_There was a wheeze as he struggled to breathe and crumpled to the ground._

_There was blood everywhere and he wasn't moving_

_I had just killed him._

_My mum was still lying on the floor against the wall, whimpering softly. She looked like she was having an asthma attack._

_I ran to her and held her in my arms._

"_Mum … you'll be fine … I'll get you out of here …" I began, trying and failing to be comforting. Tears ran down my face as I saw her battered, worn out and hurt. _

"_Oh honey … there isn't much left in me … but you … they'll take you away and lock you up … don't stay here … run … get away," she said to me struggling and pushing me away._

_I hugged her tightly and pecked her on the cheek. "Good bye mum … I love you," I said finally before leaving her. I was about to step out of the corridor when she called out with what I think was her last ounce of strength, "I'm sorry for being such a terrible mother James … I love you."_

"… and then after all that, the crew found me on the streets … they were kids too. They looked after me and cared for me." James wiped his tears and continued strongly, "they're my family now and I love them."

He looked up at Lily who was sitting in front of him.

"Do you understand why Lily? I'm sorry … but after all that-"

"It ok. I know." said Lily gently, hugging him.

James hugged her back and knew that she understood.

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"You've changed a lot you know," said James to Lily as they lay beside each other in the grass, looking up at the sky.

Lily hoisted herself up onto her elbow and looked at him. "Really? How?"

James turned towards her. "You're taller."

"Obviously."

He moved closer.

"Your body is … much more developed."

"Obviously."

He moved closer.

"You've lost all your baby fat."

"Obviously." There was a sense of uneasiness in her voice now.

He moved even closer. He could now see, very clearly, every freckle on her nose, every single delicate eyelash and her full red lips were barely millimetres away from his own.

"But …" His lips brushed against hers. She opened her mouth welcoming him and moved in to kiss him. James sat up, moving away from Lily quickly and finished off his sentence, "… you're still an immature little moron."

Lily blushed and threw herself onto him intending to cause as much pain as possible.

They both rolled around on the floor squabbling when finally James gave up.

"Ok, ok, you win," said James panting softly and collapsed onto the ground.

Lily grinned victoriously before lying down beside him.

They stayed like that for a while, catching their breath.

Lily eventually rolled over and rested her head on his chest. James brought his arm around her and smiled gently.

"This is just like before isn't it James," said Lily softly.

"Yeah," replied James. "Look, there's something I've got to tell you and I'm not really too sure how to do it but I've got to …" trailed off James anxiously.

Lily sat up and looked at him intently. "What?"

James sat up as well. "Well … I dunno … things have changed and I think … we've changed and I know we were best friends and everything back then … but this isn't back then anymore and we can't help it because we're both older now … and -"

"James! Stop rambling and get to the point!"

"Lily … I think …" He paused unable to express himself and tried again. "It's just that I …" He tried again. "I 'm sorry, but I think … Lily, I think …" he looked up at her and seemed to lose his nerve again.

"I think … I'm … in … " but before he could finish Lily had taken hold of his face and was now making him look into her eyes.

"I think I am too," she said softly.

James gave a soft sigh of relief before kissing her softly. The feeling he felt as their lips met could not possibly be expressed by language.

The kiss began gently and slowly became harder, more forceful and more explosive. Somewhere along the kiss he and Lily had both shed their clothes. James was now lying on the ground with Lily; touching her and kissing her.

Lily slipped his boxers off slowly and threw them over to the pile of their other clothes. She stroked him down below making him moan with pleasure.

He in return unhooked her bra and tossed in onto the pile before fondling her breast delicately. His lips ran over her until they reached her lips and they both kissed passionately.

James rolled on top Lily knowing that they were both ready. He rocked into her gently unsure of whether she was a virgin but as he ground into her he forgot everything and just stared into her beautiful green eyes unable to stand the pleasure surging through his body.

James, after so many years, felt something which he lost long ago when his mum died; he felt in love.

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"Look, there is no point at all in just staying in the forest. I'll just hand my self in to the cops and you can get back home. I'm sorry about the whole kidnapping thing, it was just really stupid and we- "

"No! I've told you so many times … I don't care … I don't want to go back home and you're not handing yourself over!"

"Lily! Stop being stupid!"

Lily spun around to face him. "Who's being stupid?" she demanded, her red hair flying around her like halo.

James shrugged at her with a contradictory smile and said, "You?" before running off ahead of her.

Lily gave a mock-angry squeal and ran behind him.

James ran into a clearing with Lily hot on his heels but what greeted him made him stop instantaneously.

"Hello there Mr. Potter … thought you'd got away did you?" said a black haired, sallow faced police officer.

Lily crashed into James, still laughing until she noticed the police officer in front of him. Her laughter died away as she glanced around them taking in all the police men encircling them with guns trained on the two. She looked at James who was now holding her and telling her it was fine. How did they find us? she thought confusedly.

James was wondering exactly the same thing when Officer Snape pulled out his own gun and checked its clip. "Well, you weren't doing to bad Potter … you might've got away if you'd left our little friend behind," he said with a smirk before grabbing Lily by the wrist and pulling her away from James.

James started to reach for her when he knew it would be stupid. The police men surrounding him would shoot him before he had even touched her.

"Good … that's better Potter. At least you aren't stupid like the rest of your little 'crew'," laughed Snape.

"What happened?! If any of them are dead-"

"What are you gonna do Potter … sue me?" sneered Snape.

James tried to calm down but at the thought of one of his crew being hurt … even dead was unbearable. "You no you can't kill them Snape that wasn't even part of your-"

"No one will know what happened Potter … it easily passes as an accident …" replied Snape. "Anyway … aren't you interested to know how we caught you?" Snape paused before continuing, "It's all thanks to our dear red haired friend here you know … Miss Evans." Snape reached into Lily's jeans pocket and pulled out a small mobile phone. "She's been calling us since you decided to kidnap her … and lead you right to us," he leered.

James looked to Lily disbelievingly. "Lily …" he whispered softly not wanting to believe it.

Lily just looked from Snape to James and opened her mouth as if about to speak but only to close it again.

James shook his head and muttered, "No … no … please don't. Not after so long, I was beginning to believe everything-". James stopped unable to go on.

"Have fun in prison James. I'm sure Miss Evans will send you flowers …" laughed Snape before gripping Lily's arm and pulling her away.

The rest of the policemen crowded around him, pushing him towards a police van which had been concealed by trees. James peered through all the bodies around him, craning his neck and trying to get a look at Lily. He saw her looking back at him as Snape pulled her away. She shook her head at him, tears falling silently down her face.

He thought it had changed, he thought it was different but clearly not.

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James woke up on a cold stone floor. Where am I? he thought getting up off the ground. He was wearing a pair of bright orange trousers and a bright orange shirt. Where are my clothes? he thought confusedly. He could hardly see a thing it was so dark in here. This must be prison he realised.

James slumped against a wall and sat there shivering waiting for daylight to come, if it ever came.

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"Ah, Potter, we meet again," said Snape.

James shrugged.

"Have it your way. Is there anything you would like?"

"Yeah I could name quite a few things I would like; my clothes, some food, a lawyer and to get out of this stupid place."

"That can be arranged." Snape called a policeman and whispered something to him. The policeman nodded before leaving.

"Oh and I'd like to see L- Miss Evans," added James in a steely voice.

"That depends on whether _she_ would like to see you or not," replied Snape.

They sat there in silence staring at each other, willing the other to break first. Luckily there was a knock at the door and a smartly dressed man entered allowing both of them to look away without feeling ashamed.

"Good morning Officer Snape and Mr. Potter," said the man nodding to the two of them.

"Good Morning Mr.Dreeble," said Snape. "Mr. Potter here demanded that he had a lawyer."

Mr. Dreeble had put his briefcase down and looked carefully at James for a moment, almost unsure of what to do, finally he nodded and said, "Well, I'd like to talk to my … client, Mr. Potter, if I could."

Snape nodded his consent and left the room swiftly with one last back-ward smirk towards James.

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"What?" cried James angrily. "What do you mean there's nothing you can do?"

Mr. Dreeble cowered beneath James' glower and said in a trembling high-pitched voice, "Mr. Potter, your crime is no petty theft or robbery it is a kidnapping. It's very serious. You could've at least gotten away with a kidnapping on it's own but you've raped the victim Mr. Potter and she's from a very influential family there is simp-"

James' face was contorted with surprise and disbelief as he heard Mr. Dreeble's words. "Hang on, hang on." said James, holding up a hand. "Did you just say, I raped her?"

Mr. Dreeble was physically sweating as he replied, "Yes sir. You raped Miss Evans and kidnapped her. You are being convicted for these reasons." He paused to wipe sweat off his forehead.

James' face was devoid of emotion. He reached for a glass of water that had been placed before him and threw its contents down his throat.

"Sir …" added Mr. Dreeble hesitantly, "...she is also pregnant."

The glass in James' hand shattered.

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	7. Chapter 7

Heads

**Heads**

Lily sat in her room. Tears dripped down her face as she stared out onto her balcony. She sat there, impassively, like a statue.

"Lily," murmured a voice from the door. "It's ok honey. Come here, I'll give you a hug."

Lily gave no sign as to whether she had even heard the voice but she heard footsteps approach her. Slowly her mum kneeled before her. As she looked at the face she knew so well, a rush of revulsion rose in her. For the first time since she'd sat on her bed Lily moved. She looked down onto her mother with a contemptuous, disgusted look.

Lily's mum misinterpreted the look. "Sweetie, what did they do to you?" she said softly, taking Lily's hand.

Lily immediately snatched her hand away but didn't say anything.

"Darling, its ok. You're safe now. You're home with people that love you."

The nerve, thought Lily, as rage flooded her. How could she ever refer to this … this ... _prison,_ as home? With people that love her? Bollocks. Lily had seen real love. She had seen how James and his crew cared for each other. That was a family. What the Evans had was nothing near a family.

As the look on Lily's face hardened, her mum's voice became a little desperate.

"Lily? Lilyana? Sweetheart … they didn't touch you did they? Frannie?" she said gently.

_Thwack._

Even Lily was shocked at what she had done but nothing could equal the stunned look on Mrs. Evans's face. The sound echoed through the room. The ugly, red handprint on her mum's face shone unflatteringly against her pale white skin.

That was it. How dare she call her Frannie? The last time she'd been called that was when she was five and now, so many years later, how dare she try and patronise me as she always did? All those painful memories of her mother being so cold to her. All those days when Lily had no one to tuck her in apart from Tuney a/n: yes, the seventh book will be influencing this story. All those times when she may as well have had not mother at all.

Lily's mum was still staring at Lily in a mixture of amazement and bewilderment and still hadn't registered the fact that she had just been slapped.

"How dare you? How dare you?! You vicious … you vile … you – what do YOU know about love?! What _right _do you have to even say the word love?" screamed Lily, jumping from the bed. She grabbed her mother by her shoulders and shook her. "I'm not five anymore _mother_," she shouted scathingly. "I'm not your little Frannie! I'm not the little girl who worships you! I'm not your doll to play with when you're bored and then throw away once you're done! I'm pregnant and I love this child and I love the father and you will not lay a finger upon any of them! Get out my room! GET OUT OF MY ROOM! NOW!"

Lily's mum left slowly, dazedly. Lily cried hysterically. After an hour or so she rose. She calmly wetted some cotton wool with witch hazel and pressed it to her puffy eyes. She knew what she had to do and she would do it.

--

A few hours later Lily was conversing loudly with a policeman.

"I want to see him now!" said Lily loudly.

"Madam, my superior has commanded me to take you to him if-" mumbled the policeman under Lily's glare.

"Whatever. Just hurry up!" interrupted Lily.

Soon she was seated in a luxurious office, waiting to see this 'superior'. The door creaked behind her but she didn't turn around. An empty feeling overtook her as the black-eyed man sat opposite her. Of course, she thought. Officer Snape. Severus Snape. Sev.

"Lily," he said softly.

She stared back into those dark, deep eyes.

"He touched you?" he asked.

She didn't reply but he knew. His eyes darkened and his face hardened.

"He will be punished for-"

"Sev?" implored Lily quietly. Tears filled her beautiful eyes.

Snape rushed towards her. "Don't cry, Lily, don't cry. Stop, please. It's fine. He won't do anything-"

"Sev," she repeated. "No one understands me."

Snape slowly sat down beside Lily. "What's wrong Lily?"

She couldn't stop herself. Everything poured out; James, mother, Tuney and just everything. Sev had been there for her after James had left. He had helped her. He would understand.

"I can't take it anymore. Everyone expects me to be this perfect little princess and I don't want to. I want to be able to do whatever I want, I want to not have to worry about what someone else is going to think of me, I want to just be who I am and I can't Sev," said Lily.

"Look Lily, you can do all of it, you can do whatever you want but just for awhile you have to do what people expect because-" started Snape soothingly.

"No! I can't wait anymore," said Lily forcefully, jumping out of her seat. She looked straight at Snape. "I need to see James right now."

Snape looked away uneasily. "Potter is now under arrest Lily, you can't just-"

Lily grabbed Snape by his shoulders and made him look at her. "Sev, I have to see him," she said urgently. As he hesitated she added softly, "Please Sev."

Snape turned away from Lily and walked to behind his desk. Lily looked at him imploringly but he remained silence. After a couple of minutes she opened her mouth to say something.

"Sev … I love him."

Snape's face paled. His hands gripped the edge of his desk and his knuckles turned a deathly white. He raised his face to hers and whispered with frightening ferocity, "You can't."

Lily backed slightly, frowning. "I need to see him, I have to see-" she started but was cut off by Snape.

Snape had walked over to the door as she spoke and he said coolly, "Potter has been charged with rape and will appear in court tomorrow." He turned to face her. "I'm sorry Miss Evans, but I cannot permit you to see him." He opened the door, his eyes glimmered faintly as he waited for her to leave.

Lily's mouth had opened in surprise and formed a small 'o'. She quickly regained her composure. Her green eyes flashed angrily. "Thank you for your time, Officer Snape." Holding her head high, she walked out of the office

--

Lily returned home. She walked straight up to her room, trying to avoid her mother. She opened her room and found her father standing by the window. "Father?" she said in surprise.

Her father turned around and said, "Lilyana, I want to talk." He motioned for her to sit.

Lily sat down on her bed, wondering what her father wanted to talk about.

"Lilyana, I've been told that you are pregnant." He gave her a sharp look. Lily faltered slightly, but nodded. "I want you to have an abortion," he said firmly. Lily's eyes widened.

"What?" she whispered.

"I want you to have an abortion," he repeated simply, crossing his arms.

Lily stared at his for a moment, amazed that he was asking her to have an abortion as if it was that simple. After a while she shook her head. "I am not going to have an abortion. I love this child and I will have it," she said stonily.

"How dare you … " said her father angrily, stepping forward. "You will have an abortion," he hissed.

Lily stood up bravely. "Father," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I am not a child any longer. I will have this baby. I love it. I love its father. I will not give it up."

Her father stepped back and replied coldly, "If you abort … the boy won't die."

Fear showed in Lily's eyes. "H-he's going to die?"

"Clearly. Unless you have an abortion."

Lily sunk back onto her bed, tears rolling down her face. _Bastard. Complete bastard. How can I choose? James .. or our baby. _

"I'll return tomorrow for an answer, Lilyana."

--

**A/N: Ciao a tutti! I know it's been a looong time and this chapter isn't even that long BUT I am going to try and post the next chapter soon … **

**- Suba**

slight edition/addition


	8. Chapter 8

Tails

**Tails**

James lay in his cell, gazing up at the stony ceiling, not seeing it. _I have been such a fool. She's pregnant. With my baby. Our baby. _He blinked. _They're not going to let me off. _He sighed and sat up. It had been a few days since Dreebles had told him that Lily was pregnant and he was being charged with rape and kidnap. It was slowly sinking in. He swung his legs off the hard bed and got up. He began pacing back and forth in the tiny cell.

"Smoke?" called out the blond guy from the opposite cell.

James looked up and smiled, for the first time in a while. He nodded and the guy threw him a cigarette and a lighter. James sat on his bed and lit up. He puffed slowly with a pensive expression on his face. "Hey Cowell," said James suddenly, "how did you get this stuff?"

Dirk Cowell grinned mischievously at James. "Contacts," he replied, stamping out his own cigarette.

James got to his feet and walked over to his door and said seriously, "Would you be able to get me something?"

Dirk shrugged. "I ain't got long James." He looked sad for a moment and James was somewhat unnerved. Over the last few days he had gotten to know Dirk Cowell. He was a good lad. Crooked, definitely. But his heart was in the right place.

Dirk sighed. "I'm being released in a week."

"That's great." James smiled at Dirk encouragingly.

"No, James, it isn't." He gave a long shuddering sigh and hid his face in his hands.

James sat down by his door, waiting for Dirk to gather himself. Dirk finally raised his head. "I've been here for …" he crinkled his nose in thought, "five years – give or take. This place is all I know James. In here, I'm someone. I can get things. I'm … I'm respected." He shook his head and rubbed a bit of dirt off his shoe awkwardly.

James nodded and replied, "But Dirk," he paused, "it's so wonderful out there." He turned so that his back was to the door and leaned against it. "The sky, the flowers, the air, the people … oh man … even the pigeons. It's so good." He smiled and laughed. Dirk laughed too.

"I guess," he admitted. "So what is it that you want anyways?"

"Paper and a pen or pencil."

"Is that all?" replied Dirk incredulously.

James nodded.

"Well … sure. I've got that right here," said Dirk, taking out a notebook from under his bed and a pen from out of his pillow. "Catch." He neatly threw the book and the pen into James' cell, straight through the bars.

James caught both, book and pen and winked at Dirk. "I owe you one mate." Dirk grinned back and said, "Don't mention it."

James stamped out his cigarette and then climbed onto his bed. He tore out a sheet of paper and began writing earnestly.

Hours later, James got up off his bed and stretched, clutching a folded piece of paper. He glanced around at all the crumpled pieces of paper lying on the ground. He smiled wryly. _It took me a quite a few tries eh?_ He glanced over into Dirk's cell. He had fallen asleep. _Must be quite late now. _James swept all the scrunched up piece of paper under his bed. He then got into his bed and went to sleep.

--

The next morning, James was summoned to Officer Snape's office. He was escorted there by a warden, who had become friendly with him.

"'e doesn't like yer, y'know," drawled the warden.

James nodded with a little smile. "Doesn't take a genius to work that out."

"Well, 'e 'ardly likes anyone to be 'onest but 'e _really_ doesn't like yer," shrugged the warden.

"We've … known each other for quite a while," admitted James slowly.

The warden nodded but didn't pry. "Well, watch yerself lad and mind what yer say in there." He paused for a moment and glanced around shiftily. "'e won't let yer go y'know." A look of pity crossed his face. "If he can, he'll try an' get yer hung …"

James' eyes widened but before he could ask the warden anything, they'd arrived at Snape's office. James walked in and glared at Snape. Without looking up, Snape said, "Sit."

James gritted his teeth and sat. "What do you want?" he said shortly.

Snape continued writing something and didn't respond. After a while he put down his pen and looked up at James. As Snape's hard black eyes met James' fierce hazel ones, the hatred between the two was undeniable. "You will appear in court tomorrow," said Snape curtly. "But before that, you have a visitor."

James looked confused. _Lily?_

Snape bared his teeth in an odd half grimace, half smile. Almost as if he had read James' mind, he said, "Not Miss Evans, Potter." He rose from his seat and said, "Lord Evans wants to see you." Snape then left the room.

James frowned. _Lily's dad? I haven't even met him before._ The door swung open and James rose to his feet. A stately looking man walked in. He glanced at James before closing the door behind him.

"Mr. Potter," he said in clipped tones, with a brief nod.

"Lord Evans," said James, inclining his head.

Lord Evans eyed James for a moment, sizing him up and then said with a sigh, "James. Look, I'll be frank with you. I've always liked you. You're a good boy. It would be such a shame for you to throw your life away like this. I know what you've done to Lily, but I've been thinking about dropping charges."

James frowned again. _Something isn't right. _"Let me tell you sir, I did not rape Lily, and -"

Lord Evans interrupted, "I don't care what happened. That's irrelevant." He waved his hand.

James took a deep breath and then said, "Dropping charges, you were saying sir."

Lord Evans nodded. "Indeed. But of course there are conditions."

James gave a hollow laugh.

"As you know, Lily is pregnant. I want you to talk to her and convince her to abort the child."

James shook his head and said defiantly, "I would never do that to our child."

Lord Evans glared at James angrily but for a moment sadness crept into his face. "So be it Potter. I have my reasons of course. This child of yours will be a freak." The ferocity, with which Lord Evans said these words, caused spittle to fly from his mouth.

James coolly wiped flecks of spit from his face before replying, "I can't say I'm surprised that you've sunk this low, sir."

Lord Evans grimaced before turning on his heel and walking to the door. As his hand rested upon the door handle, he turned back to James. There was an odd expression on his face.

"I have often been told that your eyes are spectacularly similar to mine."

James noticed for the first time, that Lord Evans' eyes where the exact shade of hazel as his were.

"How is your mother?" asked Lord Evans.

"Dead," snarled James angrily.

Lord Evans shook his head sadly. "She was … very special to me. If only things had been different …"

James' eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Lord Evans gave James another strange look before turning the door handle and leaving the room.

"No! Wait!" shouted James striding to the door and opening it. He saw Lord Evans walking down the corridor but before he could do anything, two policemen came in and pushed James back in the room.

--

**A/N: So there you have it, chapter 8. Only 2 more to go now!! :D Anyone understand the end bit? mysterious smile It'll all make sense in the end. If I don't update for a month or so, it's because I have exams. **

**- Suba**


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